( Beijing : Opera on Great Wall )

Day 1/Arrive in Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, the capital of China. Meet your guide at the airport and transfer to the comfortable hotel. (D)

Day 2/Beijing  
Begin the day's activity with a visit to Tian'anmen Square, the largest urban square in the world. Tian'anmen was built in 1417 and served as the entrance gate to the Imperial Palace. Move on to visit the Imperial Palace, well-known as Forbidden City which is the large scale construction of the palace extended from 1406 to 1420. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. 24 emperors lived and ruled China from here. In the afternoon, visit Temple of Heaven, built in 1420 A.D., which was originally the platform to offer sacrifices to Heaven during Ming and Qing Dynasties. The buildings and parklands reflect an ancient Chinese thought of "the Heaven is round and the earth is square". Enjoy Peking Duck for Dinner. (B,L,D)

Day 3/Beijing
Visit the enchanting Summer Palace, the largest and best-preserved imperial garden in China. As a masterpiece of Chinese landscape garden design, it integrates the natural landscape of hills and open water with manmade features such as pavilions, halls, palaces, temples and bridges into a harmonious and aesthetically exceptional whole. In the afternoon, you will visit the Yonghe Lama Temple, the largest and most perfectly preserved Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple outside Tibet. It was built in 1649 as the residence of Prince Yong of Qing Dynasty, and was converted to a temple after he became Emperor moving to Forbidden City. (B,L,D)

Day 4/Beijing
Today's highlight is the visit to the Great Wall (Badaling Section), one of the "Seven Wonders of the World" and a symbol of Chinese civilization. Then, move on to visit the statue-lined Shenlu (Spirit Road) leading to the Ming Tombs, here you can see some marvelous stone sculptures. The Ming Tombs area is for 13 deceased emperors of the Ming Dynasty. Visit the Changling Tomb which is the largest of the 13 as you can imagine it is quite impressive. (B,L,D)

Day 5/Beijing-Xi'an
After a relaxed breakfast at hotel this morning, you will ride a rickshaw through some old Hutongs, lanes or alleys formed by lines of Siheyuan (a compound with houses around a courtyard). Then, walk around Wangfujing Street, one of the biggest shopping center in China. Take an overnight train to Xi'an with soft sleeper (first class in China, 4 persons sharing one cabin). (B,L,D)

Day 6/Xi'an  
Arrive in Xi'an, a city with incredible history, as well as a prosperous modern city. Transfer to the hotel on arrival and have breakfast. Begin the day's activity with an once-in-a-lifetime viewing of the extraordinary Terracotta Warriors and Horses, 2,200-year-old underground army of he first feudal Emperor, Qin Shihuang. Life size terracotta figures of warriors and horses arranged in battle formations are the star features at the museum. Stop to visit a mountain village on the back way. Enjoy a characteristic Dumpling Dinner at a local restaurant. (B,L,D)

Day 7/Xi'an-Shanghai
After breakfast, visit Big Wild Goose Pagoda, originally built in 652 A.D. in Tang Dynasty (618-907A.D.), it functioned to collect large volume of Buddhist scriptures that were taken from India by the eminent monk of Xuanzang. Then, visit Forest of Steles Museum, with 900 years of history, it 3,000 pieces of the earliest stone steles of different periods, from the Han Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty. Take an afternoon flight to Shanghai, known as "Paris in the East". Transfer to the hotel on arrival. (B,L,D)

Day 8/Shanghai
Visit the Bund in the morning, at the west shore of the Huangpu River, the splendid row of early 20th century Europe buildings remains the quintessential Shanghai sight. Pay a visit to Yuyuan Garden, a well-restored Suzhou-style garden, which was specially built for Pan's parents as a place to enjoy themselves a tranquil and happy time in their old age. The pavilions, halls, rockeries, ponds and cloisters are unique characteristic. And also take a walk through Chenghuangmiao (known as Yuyuan Garden Markte) built in the fifteenth century during the Ming Dynasty. It filled with antique markets and specialty stores. Then, visit Jade Buddha Temple, built in 1882 to keep two jade Buddha statues which had been brought from Burma by a monk named Huigen. The two precious jade Buddha statues, one sitting Buddha and one Recumbent Buddha, are carved with whole white jade. Enjoy a fabulous Acrobatic Show in the evening. (B,L,D)

Day 9/Leave from Shanghai
Transfer to the airport for your homebound flight. TOUR ENDS! (B)